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Welcome to After Silence - A message board and chat room for rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse survivors.

Welcome to After Silence, a message board and chat room designed to help survivors communicate in the recovery of rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and all types of sexual violence.

After Silence has over 30 different forums, ranging from topics created to discuss specific areas of healing and recovery from rape and sexual violence, as well as forums open to general discussions and lighter topics. Because we value the privacy of our members, most of our forums are private, which means that ONLY REGISTERED members have access to them. Please register for a free account to gain full access to the After Silence Online Support Group.

I've noticed that several members are asking for support for medical issues. I know that I have at least 3 threads relating to this topic.

I think it could be a good thing to have medical topics in the one forum so that commonly asked questions (e.g. I know I have asked for support going to gyn appointments) can be there for other people to read and get support from.

I do think this is a good idea - offering support to those needing it for medical issues - but I think that what might be a problem is asking for and offering medical advice/diagnosis/treatments etc. I think that would probably be very risky as really that can only be given by trained medcial staff.

I agree dodo that offering medical advice is very risky and I would want anyone to think that I'm encouraging that. I'm not a trained doctor or medical professional.

I'm just thinking that seeing as how so many survivors struggle to get doctors to respect their needs it might be nice to have somewhere where we can read about how others have done it. Or, how many of us have thought we were the only person to struggle with invasive examinations and tests (e.g. Pap tests/std checks/etc?

I was envisaging it being a bit like the therapy support section where people can ask for support in trying to access T or how to ask Ts to alter how they interact, etc.

It's just that I've read about 5 different threads about gyn exams in the last couple of days (each really important, please don't think I'm saying they're not), all asking similar questions (again, each one of those questions is really important and I'm proud of each person for reaching out)... I just thought it would be nice if they could be grouped together so we could read how others have coped or read the suggestions or offer others support, etc.

Good idea. Plenty of people here can use some emotional support and coping advise when it comes to medical appointments of whatever kind. And there could be a pinnned threat containing an overall collection of coping strategies and tips etc.

Thanks so much for your suggestion. I will need to discuss this suggestion with my fellow moderators and let you know. I personally like the concept you've put forward but as I am sure you realise there's issues we'd need to discuss before making a decision on such a forum, especially when it's medically orientated.

I know it will need one of those warning bits up the top like in the ED or SI forums that lists the rules for use, states that medical advice should not be sought as we're not doctors, yadda yadda (even though we don't have one of those at the moment and people seem to know that on the whole - but just to be safe).

I like the pinned thread on coping strategies for medical appointments idea that JenD had.

Just something mods might to consider is maybe renaming the forum so it's not "specifically" called medical support. That might be another way to take this... or maybe a sub forum in Gathering Place...

I have physical health issues that I sometimes feel like beeetching about. Right now my astma is bothering me a lot. Don't need advice, just want to vent. Would talk to the people here in real life, but... talking involves breathing. Anyway, it would be good to have a physical health venting and advice area.